


Rapunzel and the shattered Mirror

by tentaclekitten



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Dreams, M/M, Magic, Mentions of Character Death, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 10:18:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12230862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tentaclekitten/pseuds/tentaclekitten
Summary: Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair! But something isn’t right about the prince. Something isn’t right at all.





	Rapunzel and the shattered Mirror

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunarium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/gifts).



The flickering light of the circling sun cast shadows across the floor of the single room on top of the tall tower. The ivory brush was heavy and cold in Reynir’s grip as he methodically dragged it through his long, red hair. Coil after coil of soft, red hair piled up on the floor as he brushed and brushed, his eyes following the twisting strands. A tiny part of his mind was aware that in this dream, the only limits to the length of his hair were the depth of his magic and the strength of his will, but by far the majority of his mind was occupied in tracing the winding length of red braid. Mind searching far and wide, each tangle his brush unmade was a problem skipped or solved, a troll evaded, a kage fooled. Dream logic, but the distant woof assured him he couldn’t be completely wrong. 

If only he could remember what he was doing. He was waiting, up in this tower, for his prince to return. No, that was wrong. He was locked up and waiting for rescue. No. Reynir shook his head. It would make sense when he woke up, it usually did. In the flickering light of the circling sun, the tangle of hair on the floor looked like blood, spilling out, reaching. The rune on his chest glowed, drawing his mind onwards, flaring. A flicker of memory. Lalli’s hand, pale as he offered the knife. A quick cut, a flash of magic, matching runes. What had they intended to do? His mind shied away from the memory. 

A knock vibrated through the tower. A second blow against the stone, a third. Lalli had returned. With both hands, Reynir gathered up his braid, coil after coil, and carried it to the window. He threw the braided rope of hair down, the only way into this doorless tower, built to keep something out. No. Reynir shook his head. Off course the tower was doorless to keep him in. Why would he want to keep Lalli out? A light tug on his hair, then a low, steady pressure on his scalp. Lalli was climbing, slowly, up the braided hair, using Reynir’s own magic to scale the tower made of ivory and tears. 

The broken mirror flickered. 

“You know he’s dead,”

the flickering girl in the mirror said.

“You’re the one who is dead, Tuuri,” Reynir though but didn’t say, not looking at her. They never should have tried to revive her. There were things you weren’t meant to do, things that weren’t meant to be meddled with. If he’d been smarter, Lalli wouldn’t have… wouldn’t have…

He shook his head. He needed answers, not regrets, regretful memories. 

The air was getting noticeably colder, puffs of icy cold spilling through the window with every step Lalli’s body climbed. Cold, so cold. Reynir stuck his hands in his armpits to warm them, shivering in his thin summer shirt which was more suited to sheepherding on a warm summer’s day. Frost coated the windowsill, creeping with icy fingers across the walls and roof to envelop the whole tower. 

“Cut your hair before it’s too late,”

Tuuri said, her voice as splintered as the soul mirror. 

Reynir shook his head. “I don’t think I can,” he replied, but of course he could. That’s why he had Lalli’s knife in his hand. He always took it with him, on every dream search. 

“You have to wake up.”

Slowly, his legs feeling like lead, Reynir walked over to the window. Down below, not far down at all anymore, oh no, Lalli climbed, pale hands gripping the red braid tightly. Alerted by his gasp, Lalli raised his head and memory came crashing back, impossible to stem. The black mark on Lalli’s forehead, the dark soul swirling in his eyes. The Kade that had taken over Lalli’s body and jailed Lalli’s soul deep inside. The protective runes that were supposed to keep Reynir save while he tried to bring Tuuri’s soul back from the dead, now serving to shackle him to Lalli, the bond both blessing and curse, for it allowed the evil impostor to enter his dreamspace, but it also allowed him to feel Lalli’s hidden soul. 

With a cry, Reynir dragged the knife through his hair. The braid disintegrated, dropping the invaded down below the clouds. The tower disintegrated, and a moment later a soft baa dragged Reynir back to reality.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, summer was in full swing. The sheep that was licking his cheek was probably after the salt in his tears. With a sigh, Reynir sat up. Another failure. Five years of studying mage craft, five summers and winters spent in pursuit of his goals. 

The sheep baaed at him again. 


End file.
